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MEET  FLORENCE ADEPOJU, THE WOMAN  WHO LAUNCHED AN INTERNATIONAL COSMETICS RANGE FROM HER PARENT’S GARDEN SHED

Florence Adepoju worked on make-up counter in Lakeside Shopping Mall in Essex, when she was just 17 and studying for her A-levels at sixth-form college.

She noticed the lack of make-up suited to darker skin tones, so she decided to start her own makeup line one day.

She later studied Cosmetic Science at the London College of Fashion, where she did her dissertation on how colour affects different people’s perception of lipsticks.

As part of her dissertation, Florence put together a business plan and social media campaign. This eventually helped her to apply for a business grant from the college, which she used to set up a business.

She launched MDMflow, a lipstick line of bold, bright, highly pigmented colours designed to suit black women.

MDMFlow takes its inspiration from the mid-nineties to early-Noughties hiphop videos that Florence grew up with, and features a range of lipsticks in richly pigmented shades of black, blue, orange and pink.

Florence’s lipstick line which started producing from her parents’ garden shed is now being stocked in Topshop.

In an interview with FEMAIL she says:

‘I was struck by the lack of choice there was for women with darker skin,’

‘Brands would bring out limited-edition capsule collections, but none of the make-up would suit me; the foundation wouldn’t be dark enough or the lipstick wouldn’t be bright enough. I always found it disappointing.’

‘I worked at Space NK throughout university, and people were always requesting shades like blue, but there weren’t many on the market,’ Florence said.

‘They’d see people like Rihanna wearing crazy colours and they’d want to copy her.’

 

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VIOLA DAVIS BARES IT ALL , TALKS ABOUT GROWING UP IN POVERTY ON THE NEW ISSUE OF PEOPLE MAGAZINE’S

Beautiful Oscar winner Viola Davis is the cover star for People Magazine‘s latest issue.

In the magazine, the actress opens up and talks about the struggles of growing up in poverty and how her talent propelled her to success later in life.

Read excerpts from the interview below

On Growing Up in Poverty

I was the kind of poor where I knew right away I had less than everyone around me. We had nothing, I cannot believe my life, I just can’t, I’m so blessed. I would jump in trash bins with maggots looking for food, and I would steal from the corner store because I was hungry, I never had any kids come to my house because my house was a condemned building, it was boarded up, it was infested with rats. I was one of those kids who were poor and knew it.

It became a motivation as opposed to something else — the thing about poverty is that it starts affecting your mind and your spirit because people don’t see you, I chose from a very young age that I didn’t want that for my life. And it very much has helped me appreciate and value the things that are in my life now because I never had it. A yard, a house, great plumbing, a full refrigerator, things that people take for granted, I don’t.

On deciding to become an actress

I first envisioned myself as an actor after I watched Cicely Tyson in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman when I was a child.

It wasn’t until then that I had a visual manifestation of the target I wanted to hit, It also gave me hope for the future and a different life for myself, she helped me have a very specific drive of how I was going to crawl, walk, run from that environment.

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FAMOUS “DASHIKI” PRIDE SISTERS CREATE FIRST AFROCENTRIC EMOJI KEYBOARD CALLED AFREEKMOJI

Remember the Danshiki sisters? Mirian Chinyere Ugokwe, Lilian Chioma Ugokwe and MarySonia Chizoba Ugokwe,  three sisters from same parent have once again created an Afrocentric emoji, called AfreekMoji.

AfreekMoji is a medium these sisters and entrepreneurs hope to share and educate the world about their beautiful African culture.

The sisters, aged 22 and 21 years old (Mirian and Lilian are twins), were born and raised in Aba, Nigeria, but they presently live in the US.

They are also the founders of Danshikipride, an international African clothing business.

With parents who are entrepreneurs, these siblings had always wanted to be entrepreneurs too, so, when they moved to the United States in June 2007, they decided to keep their African upbringing alive.

 

 

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OLAMIDE BALOGUN: 6 GOOD LIFESTYLE CHANGES TO ADOPT

Hello again everybody.

This month I am going to give you tips that will be useful. This is an excerpt of one of the seminars I have given. At the end there is also a testimonial from a mid fifties lady who has been on two of our challenges. Our challenges really try to replace bad lifestyle habits with good lifestyle habits. They are simple and very doable. We have another 30day challenge starting on the 1st of March. Email me at olamideb@awakenlifestyles.com if you want to join. Remember if you want to go fast, go alone; If you want to go far, go in a group.

1.Drink water

Our bodies are made up of 50-75% water and this decreases as we age. Besides helping us lose weight, water helps nutrition work, ⅔ of the water in our bodies is intracellular (inside the cells) and ⅓ is extracellular, which circulates between cells and inside organs, supplying nutrients and excreting waste.
Research shows that obese people who drank 2 cups of water before each meal over a 3-month period lost 5 pounds more than those who didn’t. 1 year later, the water drinkers had kept more of that weight off.

2. Sleep
How much you sleep AND the quality of your sleep will affect nearly every aspect of your daily life, so it’s important to get the sleep you need every night. Proper sleep is critical for stress management, weight and overall health.
Inadequate sleep leads to an increased chance of developing obesity by 23% with just 6 hours of sleep per night and 50% with just 5 hours per night, and 73% with 4 hours per night.
Lack of sleep disrupts circadian rhythms and can lead to inefficient body regulation of energy balance, metabolism, and appetite.
Abnormal leptin and ghrelin levels – hormones that tell your body “I’m full, stop eating” – can go away with too little sleep.
Said simply: Sleep more, eat, and weigh less! Strive for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Stress:
Increases The Hormone Cortisol and makes our bodies crave carbohydrates and increases appetite
Makes our bodies store fat around the midsection

We can gain weight even if we don’t eat more due to stress
Contributes to Major Illnesses like heart disease, depression, obesity and poor mental health

3. Exercise
Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.
Examples of exercise. Walking, jogging, cycling ,dancing , swimming.

Physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths globally.
From a health standpoint, exercise can be more beneficial than simply being at a healthy weight.
Besides burning calories, exercise is also important because when you exercise your body releases endorphins, which make you feel good and motivate you to eat well, do your job well and simply be happy
A growing body of evidence has shown that normal weight couch potatoes are more vulnerable to all causes of death, especially heart disease, than overweight people who exercise
Exercise for an exercise goal, not for a weight goal
Strive to be active at least 30 minutes every day to help keep your body strong and lean. Remember it doesn’t have to be expensive.

4. Eat Right
Feel empowered by putting the most nutrient rich foods in your body. When you focus on how good you feel when you fuel yourself with the best foods you will continue to be motivated to eat these foods.  The benefits from skin health to weight loss, and all that’s in between, will follow.

Eat Real Carbohydrates not processed food. Replace refined carbohydrates like bread, pasta, cereal, with complex carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Complex carbs are also packed with antioxidants that help reduce inflammation in the body.

Eat healthy fats.
A common misconception is that fat should be completely eliminated. In reality, we could not live without fat. The body utilises dietary fat for energy, healthy hair, skin, nails, vitamin absorption, and normal everyday bodily functions. Good fats promote several health benefits such as protection against heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, depression and it can reduced blood pressure and lower cholesterol. Choose sources such as nuts, seeds, fish, avocados, and extra virgin olive oil.

Eat lean protein
Our bodies require protein to continuously renew and replenish our cells, stabilise our blood sugar, and give us energy.  Our bodies are literally made out of the amino acids that make up protein in our food.
Many foods contain protein, but the richest sources include animal products like meat, dairy, eggs, and fish as well as plant sources like beans, quinoa, nuts, and seeds.
Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, which slows digestion and promotes stable blood sugar levels.

Eat Breakfast
By eating a hearty breakfast, you’ll give your metabolism a jumpstart and be in better control of your cravings.
When we miss our first fuel of the day, we are often hungry by mid-morning and more likely to engage in mindless nibbling, snacking, overeating, and over compensating for any calories “saved” by skipping breakfast.  Studies repeatedly show daily breakfast consumption is associated with maintaining a healthy weight.

Eat at regular times
It’s important to balance your food intake throughout the day to help maintain normal blood sugar and decrease the chances of binging when hunger strikes.
Keep track of what you eat. Try to avoid frying foods by learning how to roast or bake, and eat more raw foods to boost flavor and cut calories. Also try experimenting with herbs and spices to reduce salt intake. The healthiest foods are those found just as nature intended – whole and unprocessed. When was the last time you saw an ingredient list on a stalk of vegetable or a fresh fish

5. Live Deliberately

Our surroundings impact our mental and physical healthy. Improve your work and home environments:
■ A clean and organized work space increases employee productivity
■ Keep a clean and organized bedroom
■ Have a designated place for everything
■ Label items and folders
■ Use plants to help circulate air

6.Nurture and pamper yourself

Treating yourself to something special can have great emotional and physical impact
Time spent caring for yourself is valuable: massage, bubble bath, manicure , etc.

It is obvious that many things need to be in sync for us to be in optimum health. Don’t worry, it is like driving. When you don’t know how to, it seems difficult but when you know how to, it is very easy. These are general guidelines and the specifics may differ from person to person.

Testimonial from KI
Where do I start? I guess back to 2013 with my Cambridge diet. So I had a nice round happy face and weighed 92kg. A comfortable size 18 and then shirts started gaping at the bust line and skirts began to get snug and would ride up and crease all day long. Had heard of Cambridge but thought, too drastic!

However I really needed to shed the weight, so I dove in. Good results, because 6 months later, I was 75kg, my target weight. And down to size 14 and happy as a lark. This was April 2014. I could swear by Cambridge and mocked everyone who put the weight back on. I told them to eat right…but did I know what eat right was? I had dropped a few bad habits, but did I really know what was bad for me?? I thought bread, cakes, sweets….I was right, but didn’t know the whole story.

So come October 2016, I was 79.6kg. Praised myself though that I had done well to keep of the 17kg that I’d lost but couldn’t seem to shed the 4.6kg. Tried all kinds of diets, would drop 1kg put back 2Kg. Yo-yoed for a while. Got myself the Cambridge products and couldn’t seem to muster up the will power past 1 week. Had tossed out all big sizes, so dilemma! My size 14 clothes were tight. The first 2-3kgs you gain, your clothes are still fine. I was up almost 5kg and miserable.

So my lifestyle change started when I received the GET.IT.TOGETHER 30 day weight adjustment challenge flyer. My motivation? I needed to lose weight – 5kg. I’d seen LB’s physical change and believed something must be right here. I also liked the idea of weight adjustment…not diet!

So along came the 1st lesson, before takeoff…No flour, no sugar. I have preached that to everybody who cares to listen. That’s the starting point and we can keep whatever weight off by simply cutting out on these two “killers”.
Week 1 menu and after the 1st week I weighed in minus 2kg. Compared it to my Cambridge plan, then I weighed in minus 2.7kg but no food…only porridges, shakes and soups.

I was thrilled to high heavens. Because that 1st week, I had era, I had sweet potatoes, I had salads, chicken, fish, boiled eggs/omelets! And lost 2kg! First real diet where I was eating and losing weight. I was hooked.

My work takes me all over the place, hotels, flights…and complained to LB that the weight wasn’t dropping off as I hoped. Got my next vital lesson. Sleep! Nothing is going to happen if I didn’t get enough sleep…if I didn’t drink enough water….and throw in some physical exercise. Not to mention eating your food fresh!
I have since made so many adjustments with the varied food plans, cut out all the processed food, and seasoning with garlic, salt and ginger. Throw in the lifestyle seminar and that’s a real winner.
What more can I say? I’m down to 71.3kg after 2+months and I’m heading to a new target 70kg, to get my BMI as close to Normal as possible.

LB has been a super health coach, listening, advising and helping us make the necessary adjustments. The most fun part is get on your scale and take a photo of your weight! You can’t cheat…it’s distant coaching and I’ve encouraged a number of people to get on the challenges and they can see, feel and are living the results.

Olamide Balogun

About Olamide Balogun

Olamide Balogun (LB) is a wife of one man , a mother, a mentor and personal coach, a Human Resource consultant,
a minister of God, a friend , a confidant and many more. She trained as a lawyer and now runs an HR Consulting firm and manages furnished offices to let. LB spear headed the registration of an NGO that has adopted a school with over 2000 children in premises that has no water, electricity or toilets. LB has a passion for imparting knowledge and also for wellness and optimum quality lifestyle. Follow me at catapultbylb.wordpress.com

Source: Bellanaija

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SPAIN APPOINTS A MINISTER OF SEX WHOSE PRIMARY DUTY IS TO HELP BATTLE THE DECLINE IN POPULATION

The Spanish Government has appointed a Minister of Sex in order to boost the nation’s declining population.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy confirmed Edelmira Barreira as the country’s top sex official.

With this move, the government hopes to boost Spain’s falling birth rate, which is one of the lowest in the developed world.

Spain in recent years has recorded declining birth rates which, according to reports, places it among developing countries with the lowest index.

Last year, for the first time, Spain’s deaths outnumbered its births. According to experts, they claim the reasons for the decline in births are: working long hours, eating late at night, and going to bed after midnight. In addition, youth unemployment rose to 48% in 2015, second only to Greece in Europe.

Spain’s education ministry said the declining birth-rate “aggravates other economic imbalances and generates important impacts in the Welfare State,” according to the Spanish newspaper ABC.

Barreira will be tasked with creating a national strategy to rectify the situation.

Source: TheSun

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”DEAR WOMEN, GREATER IS THAT WHICH WE ARE CALLED TO BE THAN WHICH HAS HELD US DOWN FROM BECOMING” -ENARI OFOEGBU, FOUNDER, THE CONFIDENT WOMAN NETWORK

Enari Ofoegbu is an epitome of strength. She is a television content Producer, founder and CEO of SheBossTV, Creative Director of Aria Eden Luxe; a fashion brand,  and also an emotional Health Activist/Counselor. She battled with suicidal attempts, maniac depression, and insecurity for close to 19 years as a result of the verbal and sexual abuse she experienced as a young girl, This inspired her to create The Confident Woman Network.

The Confident Woman Network is a movement premised on Emotional and Mental Rehabilitation for women, paticularly women suffering from varying mental and emotional imbalances like chronic low self-esteem, self hate, maniac depression, Type A madness, Stockholm’s syndrome and more, due to poor ‘love modeling or dealings’ in their childhood and adult lives.

Read more about her inspiring interview with Women Of Rubies

 

Childhood

My childhood did form the foundation for the birth of ‘The Confident Woman Network’. Growing up, I was exposed to both verbal and sexual abuse and as a result of that, I struggled with my identity, inner peace, and my confidence, which always left me vulnerable to sucidal thoughts and attempts, as well as maniac depression. For close to 19 years of my life, I struggled with either becoming all the harsh words that had been sown into my life as a kid, or forging a path of glorious perfection that Jesus had already become for me. Also, because I didn’t know Jesus in His entirety at the time, I sought validation from the wrong men who I thought would be reliable father figures for me but they disappointed me and left me worse off, emotionally. I was dragged into a dangerous bouts of self loathing, low esteem, and depression, until I came face to face with the CEO of unconditional love, Jesus. I was worshipping God that day in a full cry mode when I heard Him asked me just like He asked King Solomon in the Bible ”What do you want?” I found myself saying ”I want to love and I want to be loved. I want to know the true love of God”

Meet Me

My name is Enari Ofoegbu. I am a Televison Content Producer, CEO, SheBossTV. I am also the creative Director of a fashion brand called Aria Eden Luxe. I have my professional beginings in Media as a producer and presenter with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for five years. I was also a radio host with an online radio station. I also have fashion and styling experience, among other arts related experience. I am an emotional health activist/counselor, which is what I do with ‘The Confident Woman Network’

 

The Confident Woman Network

The Confident Woman Network is a movement premised on Emotional and Mental Rehabilitation for women, paticularly women suffering from varying mental and emotional imbalances like chronic low self-esteem, self hate, maniac depression, Type A madness, Stockholm’s syndrome and more, due to poor ‘love modeling or dealings’ in their childhood and adult lives.

A year ago, The Confident Woman Network (TCW) was birth with a vision to stop the cycle of emotional and mental abuse recurring in the lives of women and young girls, by helping them rediscover and situate their identity in the eternal love and devotion of Christ. We have classes where women gather to discuss the way forward in our emotional and mental health. It usually involves teachings from the Word, spiritual healing clinics, talks given by invited guests, sisterhood support circles and more. Our programs include customized counseling sessions, confidence coaching classes, structured awareness campaigns(walks, media campaigns, mini documentaries, mentoring programs) and sisterhood support programs.

Motivation

The desire to bring peace to the mind, heart and life of a person is my motivation, and I do that by bringing them to God. Peace is the most expensive commodity to a mentally and emotionally oppressed person; the Woman of Samaria, Mary Magdalene, David, knew this and judiciously found it in Christ. I know firsthand the deep ache and unrest, feelings like worthlessness, shame, inadequacy and pain feel like and i am determined to make sure no young woman goes through it and to help every woman going through this find peace.

 

Greatest reward

The greatest reward I have received? I will say the testimonies I get from all the women I have had the opportunity to counsel, the lightness that replaces the heaviness they once felt, the scales dropping from their eyes. These are my greatest rewards. Peace is magical and being able to give it to someone is a great privilege.

Challenges

One of the greatest challenges I have faced is getting women to admit to having emotional or mental struggles. Another challenge is doubt and criticism, people who look at me and condescend to me saying I am not qualified to do what i’m doing or to be used by God. People who are oblivious to my mess, and therefore judge the message God has made me into because I agreed to yield to and be broken by Him. Getting support of any sort to organize programs, outreaches and sort, is another major challenge.

 

Projects and activities

We have lots of projects and activities at The Confident Woman Network. One of them is THE CONFIDENT WOMAN MASTERCLASS; this is a quarterly meeting where women gather to discuss the way forward in our emotional and mental health. It usually involves teachings from the Word, spiritual healing clinics, talks given by invited guests, sisterhood support circles and more. Another one is THE “LOVED MADLY DEEPLY TRULY” AUDIO DEVOTIONAL; We have an audio devotional we share on Whatsapp that exposes God’s love for His female flock. This started precisely a month ago, and we have sent out 10 episodes so far and have an audience of 40 women from Nigeria and outside. Our reach is exponentially increasing, all thanks to God. We also have THE LEAD AFRICA FOUNDATION; This is a leadership & entrepreneurship mobile academy for teens & youth. At the moment we go to schools to conduct our trainings, taking 1 school per 6-week period, bringing in facilitators covering the following courses, Leadership (Theory and practical), Creative career counselling (careers in Arts), Basics of Businesss and Entrepreneurships, etc. We have programs we are currently working on that covers business/skill acquisition for women and girls, organized visits to the mental hospitals, media campaigns(tv/radio shows, mini-documentaries etc) highlighting the epidemic untreated mental and emotional damage in women is, a daily devotional book, collaborations with willing NGO bodies, government agencies and individuals and getting an office space/training facility to start operations from. Lastly, we have an outreach we started last month that meets the basic needs of individuals, from as little as buying sanitary pad to paying for JAMB forms, to helping with accommodation issues to feeding the poor {we have a deaf & dumb community that we sharefood to every Saturday evening. For now we go by the name ‘THE BASIC NEEDS OUTREACH’.

On giving up

Finding purpose is different from staying happy always in purpose. So yes, there are times I do feel like giving up. Purpose has a way of taking forever to launch, so the periods of waiting, begging people to buy into and support the vision, trying to defend the visions in the eyes of critics, always take a toll. But I am a beast once I have found what I’m passionate about, its hard to keep me down for long.

 

I Am A Woman Of Rubies

I am a Woman Of Rubies because I am pro-women; from encouraging women to empowering them. Also because I didn’t make an excuse of my past but rather took it by the horns and I’m daring to do the impossible with it, putting a stop to the mental and emotional war the devil is waging against women and I am already on the WINNING SIDE.

Final words to women

Dear women, greater is that which we are called to be than which has held us down from becoming. Seek necessary help early with any mental or emotional oppression you may be experiencing so this vicious cycle of our children inheriting our emotional pain and damages, can be put to an end.

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CHIDIAIDI MADUMERE: ARE YOU CONSIDERING SPONSORSHIP MARKETING FOR YOUR BUSINESS? 6 QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU DO IT

In today’s world, a CEO or business owner needs to scrutinise how their marketing spend is impacting on their overall business growth.

Buying signage at the Olympics can be exciting. You get to go to the games, entertain customers, but does the investment translate into more business? Being a title sponsor at a polo charity event can make you feel good, but are you able to leverage it effectively? Or how about sponsoring a music event? It’s great music and fun times, but does it help the bottom line? If you are simply putting up a sign and you don’t have the time to devote to leveraging the event, then it’s a waste of money. You may as well kiss your hard-earned cash goodbye.

Since 2008, sponsorship marketing (sports, arts, cause or event) has slowed due to the economy and as more businesses question what they get for their investment. The focus of any marketing spend, including sponsorships, should be the “Return on Investment”.

1) What is your target audience and what types of activities are most appealing to them?

Knowing this will help you determine the type of sponsorship program that makes the most sense for your firm or brand. For example, if your firm manufacturers a product that is mostly used by moms for their children, then look for activities that appeal to those moms. In some cases, although the mom is the purchaser, the person who actually uses the product is the child or the spouse. In this example, you need to focus your sponsorship spend on your end user and they will influence the purchaser (mom). Or in the case of business to business, your target may be the person who signs the contract for your firm’s services or it might be the person who place the orders.

2) What type of marketing sponsorships does your competition engage in?

Evaluating how your competitor is spending their marketing budget will help you better understand the playing field. It also provides you insight on whether key sponsorship opportunities are still available. Typically sponsorships have a “non-compete” clause when it comes to companies in the same industry.

3) What is your overall marketing communication plan for your business & where does sponsorship marketing fit into it?

You should create a strategic plan each year, which should include your brand’s communication objectives.  During this process, you should be able to determine whether a sponsorship fits into your short and long term plans.

4) What are your specific sponsorship objectives?

It is critical to determine your objectives up front and ensure everyone is aligned. Your objectives might include driving awareness for your products or services, increasing your firm’s community involvement (CSR), capturing sales leads, increasing brand loyalty, driving retailer traffic, etc.  Every objective should be measurable and include specifics around timing and deliverables.

5) Which sponsorship program best supports your brand or business?

Evaluating which sponsorship program to pursue should be done in conjunction with your overall business / brand and sponsorship objectives, your target audience alignment with the sponsorship audience, the sponsorship cost, how you can effectively activate the sponsorship across channels (i.e. consumer, retailer, sales force, distributor and internal teams), and how the event can be leveraged to build the business over the short and long term.

The sponsorship you select should build equity in your brand (or business).  Ideally you should look to identify a space that your brand (or business) can “own” that aligns with your equity message.  For example, Nike sponsors top athletes across the globe, which supports their brand message of inspiring athletes around the world.

6) What is the sponsorship’s Return on Investment?

At the end of the program, it is critical to evaluate the return on investment based on the established sponsorship objectives.  This analysis can be done internally, or through an outside marketing research firm specializing in sponsorship evaluation.  Some metrics to analyze include: sales activity, lead generation, lower customer acquisition cost, attitudes toward the brand or firm, response to sponsorship or event related promotions or ads, and TV logo exposure, if applicable.

The key to managing sponsorships is ensuring you get the “best bang for the buck”, while minimising risk to your brand or business. So, whether you are a title sponsor for a major event, or a smaller sponsor at a local event, setting your objectives, ensuring you have the right sponsorship partner, leveraging the association beyond just a sign, will yield better business in the long run

About Chidiadi Madumere

Chidiadi Madumere is the CEO/FOUNDER of Black Purist Media Limited, an integrated communications agency with a team of expert consultants offering a 360 marketing communications solutions and professional writing to individuals, start ups and global companies within the Sub-Saharan African Market. 

Follow: @blackpuristmedia
Email: chidiadi@blackpurist.ng, 0909 999 1035, www.blackpurist.ng

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MEET OLUFUNMILAYO ODUNAIKE, THE WOMAN GIVING HOPE TO THE HOPELESS VIA HER FACEBOOK PAGE

If you want to know the positive impact of social media , Please go on Olufunmilayo Odunaike wall on Facebook, this beautiful woman who have been tagged “Mother Theresa” on Facebook made a simple post to give 20,000 to someone in need and ended up getting more donations of over half a million from well meaning Nigerians.

Although this is not the first time she will be “Paying it forward”on her page but this particular post however went viral and got the attention of  passionate Nigerians , who not only donated but also gave material support to those in need. Sh also had a panel who helped in the selection criteria to help in disbursing the money to those who TRULY need it.

Since she kicked off the “Paying it forward” initiative several accolades have been rolling in from different people, mostly Facebook users who were blown away by her kind heart.

 

Here is what some have to say about her kind gesture:

Chris Adetayo wrote:

Homage. To Olufunmilayo Odunaike, Facebook Nigeria’s Mother Teresa and the Sage of “Paying It Forward”. 2017 is only 2 months old but it’s doubtful if anyone will surpass what she has already done for quite a number of unknown folks in Nigeria via Facebook in what remains of the year.

Like all great things, it started out rather casually. And small. She put up a post asking anyone who is struggling to provide food for self and or family to write out a small justification for support. She had N20,000 on offer. Before long, she was flooded with lots of tear-inducing stories of folks seeking help. More impressively, many friends joined in contributing money for the cause. By the end of the day, she had enough to offer 17 “unknown” people N20,000 each.

Fuelled by the growing financial support of many who are drawn by 1] the keen desire to help those going through hard times and 2] the innate trustworthiness of Funmi, this cause has grown in leaps and bounds. And ever so diligently, Funmi and a small panel of like minds select recipients based on well-judged and clearly spelt out criteria, disburse the sums available and render full account of same. All on her Facebook wall. This week, this self-imposed task has seen this full-time worker, wife and mother visit some patients in an hospital to make donations. Mother Teresa will be immensely proud.

So, Sis, take a bow. The world is celebrating you already! And to all my FB friends who are moved to help out the needy in this trying times, please reach out to them through this lady with a heart of gold. The Angels will smile at you” 

Omotoyosi Ogunbanwo  had this to say :

See ehn…. anyone who asks who Facebook epp needs a slap on the face really.

Olufunmilayo Odunaike made a post this morning promising to give #20k to someone in need. And right now I have no idea how much the total donations have been.

This evening it was about 240k in total.

Wow…. I am beyond surprised.

Loads of people are in need.

You don’t have to have enough to give out.

I always tell people, you can never give out without receiving. As long as you do it with happiness and love.

I have no words for all the donors.

It is my prayer that the universe smiles on them. And they get all they ever wish for.

People are suffering. The economy is hard. Give the little you can. Your neighbour might have no idea what to eat for dinner. 1k can do a lot in some people’s life.

Give and never stop giving.

And you would never lack.

Try it.

You don’t even need to pray. Just give with love.

Thank you @olufunmilayo for this initiative.

Yesterday Funmi gave a report on how much was raised on her Facebook page:

Paying it forward.

N175,000 raised between yesterday and today. Wow! All donors prefer to remain anonymous. Some have indicated that the funds go to 2yrs old Mary Idowu who is finally receiving treatment. I am glad we’ll be able to go back to LASUTH as promised. From a meagre N20,000, we already disbursed N615,000 and raisedN790,000 in total. My people, you are the reason we continue to pay it forward. God bless you. When we come together, we can do amazing things. Thanks to you all.

*** We salute your courage and appreciate all you have done and still doing to help humanity. Thanks for giving hope to the hopeless and shining a light on their dark path.

You are a Woman of Rubies inside out and we celebrate you Funmi.

 

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ESTHER IJEWERE : EMBRACE YOUR FREEDOM

Freedom is an amazingly powerful part of life. Some of us have it all and some of us wish we had more, but we all have the most important freedom of all.

According to Dr. Viktor E Frank , “The last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” –

How often have you stopped to think about how free you are?

Today and everyday forward, I encourage you to embrace what we have at our fingertips. Make the below a part of your everyday life and allow yourself to live freely.

What makes us, as humans, free?

We are free to smile, laugh and play to our hearts content.

We are free to have an idea and create a career out of it.

 We are free to spend time with the people we love.

We are free to read and learn and to use our knowledge to teach and help others.

We are free to be as healthy and treat our bodies with as much respect as we want.

Every person in this world is free to choose their thoughts. We are all free to choose the meaning we give to life’s occurrences. No matter our circumstances, however wonderful or terrible, no one can take our freedom to choose our reactions to what life throws our way.

Life will not always go right. In fact at times it may feel like it’s gone terribly wrong. That’s all part of the journey. It is during these crucibles that it is on each of us to choose the meaning that most serves our life situation.

Choose your thoughts wisely. They are the only thing that can’t be taken away.

What do you do to feel free on a daily basis? What empowering meanings do you give to your experiences? Share in the comments section below.

 

Twitter & Instagram – @estherijewere

Facebook – Esther Ijewere

Email: Esther@womenofrubies.com

 

 

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